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February 20, 2016

I couldn't have said it any better. Enjoy this (brief) lovely article regarding U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on the noble vocation, generous virtue, important accomplishment, and need for a great sense of humor there is in raising a family:

February 16, 2016

The Eucharist and the Mass are the source and summit of our Catholic Christian faith. Unwavering belief in the authenticity of the Eucharist as the actual Body and Blood of Christ (not a mere symbol) was absolute from the very origin of Christianity.

"Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.' " (Luke 22:19)

Hoc est corpus meum.

This IS my body.

Do this in memory of me.

So. It's Lent. And here's a nice Lenten habit for you: try to get to Mass at least one other time during the week besides Sunday. Really. You can do it! Even if you can't do it every week, continue to try.

Why?

Here's why, courtesy of Dom Gregory Dix* in 1945, and I quote:

Do this in memory of
Me.

Was ever another command so obeyed?

For century after century, spreading slowly to every
continent and country and among every race on earth, this action has been done,
in every conceivable human circumstance, for every conceivable human need from
infancy and before it to extreme old age and after it, from the pinnacles of
earthly greatness to the refuge of fugitives in the caves and dens of the earth.Men have found no better thing than this to
do

for kings at their crowning and for criminals going to the scaffold;

for armies in triumph or for a bride and bridegroom in a
little country church;

for the proclamation of a dogma or for a good crop of wheat;

for the wisdom of the Parliament of a mighty nation or for a
sick old woman afraid to die;

for a schoolboy sitting an examination or for Columbus setting
out to discover America;

for the famine of whole provinces or for the soul of a dead
lover;

in thankfulness because my father did not die of pneumonia;

for a village headman much tempted to return to fetich
because the yams had failed;

because the Turk was at the gates of Vienna;

for the repentance of Margaret;

for the settlement of a strike;

for a son for a barren woman;

for Captain so-and-so, wounded and prisoner of war;

while the lions roared in the nearby amphitheater; on the
beach at Dunkirk;

while the hiss of scythes in the thick June grass came
faintly through the windows of the church;

tremulously, by an old monk on the fiftieth anniversary of
his vows;

furtively, by an exiled bishop who had hewn timber all day in
a prison camp near Murmansk;

gorgeously, for the canonisation of St. Joan of Arc --–

One could fill many pages with the reasons why men have done
this, and not tell a hundredth part of them.And best of all, week by week and month by month, on a hundred thousand
successive Sundays, faithfully, unfailingly, across all the parishes of Christendom,
the pastors have done this just to make
the plebs sancta Dei – the holy
common people of God.

To those who know a little of Christian history, probably
the most moving of all the reflections it brings is not the thought of the
great events and the well-remembered saints, but of those innumerable millions
of entirely obscure faithful men and women, every one with his or her own
individual hopes and fears and joys and sorrows and loves – and sins and
temptations and prayers – once every whit as vivid and alive as mine are now.They have left no slightest trace in this world,
not even a name, but have passed to God utterly forgotten by men.

Yet each of them once believed and prayed as I believe and
pray, and found it hard and grew slack and sinned and repented and fell again.Each of them worshipped at the Eucharist, and
found their thoughts wandering and tried again, and felt heavy and unresponsive
and yet knew – just as really and pathetically as I do, these things.

[End of Dom Gregory's passage. We now return you back to my comparatively exceedingly lame blog post.]

That's why.

Try to get to Mass. Go on Sunday, of course. But, TRY to get to Mass just one other time during the week this Lent. Or perhaps Eucharistic Adoration. Even if you just pop in for 10 mintues! He's there.

Waiting.

Patiently.

Waiting for YOU!

Why?

Because.

Don't you remember Who made you?

God made you.

Why did God make you?

God made you to know, love, and serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.

How can you possibly get to know Him, soften your heart to love Him, and learn how you are to serve Him if you don't even VISIT Him? Jesus is waiting patiently for YOU in all the tabernacles of the world. Through the miracle of the Eucharist, the person really truly present -- Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity -- is Jesus Christ Himself.

The book already has been endorsed by numerous reputable Catholic authors, speakers, and EWTN hosts. It's a small, portable gem, full of quick-read anecdotes followed by brief, two-sentence prayers written to raise both your heart and your mind to the Lord and His intentions for every aspect of your life.

The book's small size (only 6 1/2" square and 201 pages) makes it ideal for popping it into your purse (thus the "...Carry a Great Bag"). Its humorous and uber-quick devotions make it a lovely companion at all times, much more edifying and eminently more refreshing than that screen-based game you're tempted to turn to on your phone when you have just a moment or two to kill.

Instead this Lent, reach into your purse and open up a spiritual little ray of sunshine, illuminating your heart and your mind with God's love for you. Teresa Tomeo's book will be the easiest thing you do for 40 days!

In a speech before the Knights of Columbus, Baton Rouge Council 969 on January 29, 2005, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a lifelong, devout, Italian, Catholic, said the following on religious faith in public life:

"[H]ave the courage to have your
wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage
to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world."

And (for any of you young people still discerning your vocation in life), on why he became a lawyer, he also said this on April 9, 2008 in his remarks to Virginia high school students:

"I had an Uncle Vince -- most Italians have an Uncle Vince -- who was
a lawyer. And he seemed to have a good life so I thought I'd give it a
shot. And it turns out it was what I loved. Don't do it if you don't
love it, it's not the most exciting profession unless you love the
process, you love words."

"May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you
at your arrival and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of
angels receive you and with Lazarus, once poor, may you have
eternal rest."

Here's a nice little FREE offer for you (and something to do with all those wonderful memories you took snapshots of over the Christmas holidays!). Shutterfly is offering both you and me a free photo book!

Assembling your photo book from your digital photos is as easy as 1-2-3, with Shutterfly's photograph upload and their drag-'n-drop, on-line, photo book design program. A simple photo book makes a wonderful gift or a keepsake. We make one each year and our children regularly flip through them, enjoying and sharing happy memories ("Awww! Look how tiny So-and-So was back then!").

February 2, 2016

I received this offer from Scott Hahn's St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. It's a FREE offer for twelve, weekly, scripture-based, video lessons about the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning on Ash Wednesday (next week...already!?).
I think there is a "complete" study that will be available later for
purchase, but this is for twelve free video lessons from that full
study.

I have not seen the videos yet, but even if they're just
an "introductory peek," I thought this might be a nice perk for anyone
looking to draw closer to Our Lady during Lent, as well as some
stirring, scripture-based, Catholic, food-for-the-soul for the penitential season.

...and I don't know about you, but "free" is always within my budget. ;-)

ST. ANTHONY, Help Me Find...

.

I'm a Catholic homeschooling wife and mother of six Lilliputians, the eldest of whom is adopted with severe special needs. We seek to know, love, and serve God in this world and be happy with Him forever in Heaven. C'mon along, y'all! When I'm not sitting with my feet up at the beach eating bon-bons, I create rosary wrap bracelets. The rosary is the only bracelet you'll ever need! Shop for yourself or a faith-friend at AveMomma.com today!

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Morning Offering

Oh my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day.

Oh my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

TODAY's TINY THOUGHT: Remember in homeschooling, not every day will be perfect, but every day will be blessed!

FATHER JOHN HARDON, S.J.:"Catholic homeschooling is the planned and organized teaching and training of children at home, for their peaceful and effective life in this world, and for their eternal salvation in the world to come."

TODAY'S DIVINE OFFICE

Click the books to pray today's readings for the Divine Office, the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayers of the Church which consecrate our every hour in every circumstance to "prayer without ceasing."

Catholic Homeschooling

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2221 The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.

2222 Parents must regard their children as children of God and respect them as human persons. Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their children to fulfill God's law.

2223 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues.

2229 As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental.